Oderbruch

Old colonist village Neulietzegöricke in the Oderbruch in Märkisch Oderland © Seenland Oder-Spree / Florian Läufer

The current existence of the Oderbruch as a habitat for humans is thanks to Frederick II, also known as "Old Fritz". After a complex straightening of the river course of the Old Oder to the current course of the New Oder, he succeeded in draining the area and enabling settlement from 1753 onwards. This resulted in extensive farmland with particularly fertile soil. Newly built street villages for settlers who were recruited from other areas to farm the Oderbruch have been partially preserved. They can be recognised above all by the place names, which indicate their origin with the word "New" at the beginning. The first place built after settlement was called Neulietzegöricke and has since been fully protected as a district of the municipality of Neulewin.

Seelow Heights Memorial © Seenland Oder-Spree / Florian Läufer

In the last weeks of World War II, the Oderbruch was hit hard by battles and many villages were destroyed. The fateful events did not affect the idyll of today. "Seelow Heights" memorial commemorates the last major battle of the war in which thousands of soldiers lost their lives.

The Fort Gorgast once belonged to the Küstrin Fortress and the former war powder magazine can still be visited today. In Kienitz an der Oder, the monument with a Russian T34 tank commemorates the soldiers of the Red Army who lost their lives here.

© Seenland Oder-Spree

Our colleague Jennifer Ehm thought that there is not only a lot to see in the Oder-Spree Lake District, but also a lot to hear. 

So she grabbed her recording device and met interesting people on her forays through the Oder-Spree Lake District. The result is podcast episodes that provide insights into the work and voluntary commitment of many people in the Lake District. They report on tours and describe the beautiful and water-rich natural landscape of the Lake District.

#21 Stopped by the school and prayer house Wuschewier
April 2024 (recorded January 2024)
In the middle of the Oderbruch, in the small village of Wuschewier, there is the long half-timbered house, which is both a monument and a cultural heritage site. Wuschewier School and Prayer House I meet the female leadership of the support association Stefanie Wagner and Julia VogelWe chat about the use of the impressive building as a school for up to 140 children, about its importance as a church and meeting place for village residents and guests, the great events and the Open Monument Day in September.

#10 Visiting the Oderbruch Museum Altranft
October 2022
In October 2022 we visited the Oderbruch Museum AltranftThere we spoke with the program director Dr. Kenneth Anders about the museum's special focus, the annual themes and program days. He told us about his personal "love affair" with the Oderbruch and made it clear that you need to bring a lot of time to explore the castle and village of Altranft. With Tobias Hartmann from the Oderbruch Cultural Heritage Working Group, we spoke about the cultural heritage sites that are the only landscapes in Europe to be awarded the Cultural Heritage Seal. We also got him to reveal his current favorite place in the Oderbruch, which you should definitely visit.

#7 Thuringian view in Brandenburg
September 2022
On our late riser tour near Bad Freienwalde we had a real hiking expert with us. Heiko Walter - Fights from the Bad Freienwalde Tourismus GmbH showed us the highlights of the 10-kilometer-long round trip, where you can experience a real low mountain feeling. One of the many interesting stops we made was at House of Nature Care and met the board member Dagmar Heinze and learned a lot about nature conservation and the Kretschmann couple. 

#6 Looking over the shoulders of jewelry manufacturers: Visiting the Oderbruch workshops
July 2022
At the edge of Letschin we meet the friendly Oderbrücher woman on her four-sided farm Susanne Brill aka the OderlandperleIn her workshop, which is also a farm shop, she introduces us to the craftsmanship of glass bead making and tells us how she incorporates the special features of the natural landscape into the glass beads. Stephan Kulke operates the Oderbruchscheune in Neulewin. Here we meet the former Berliner and find out how he found his love for the Oderbruch and the materials wood, silver and ceramics. 

#5 Theater away from the metropolises: Visiting the Theater am Rand
July 2022
In Zollbrücke on the Oder, surrounded by the unique nature and river landscape of the Oderbruch, is the Theater am RandIn this podcast episode you will hear from Almut Undisz - the theater's managing director - you will gain deeper insights into the creation, the unusual construction and the special program and find out why you cannot buy "tickets" for the performances. 

Listen now!

Video shoot Peter Twiehaus © Seenland Oder-Spree

In the summer of 2022, ZDF editor Peter Twiehaus followed in the footsteps of Theodor Fontane and visited several stations by bike, such as Bad Freienwalde, Neulietzegöricke, Zollbrücke, Kunersdorf and the Europabrücke. You can find the result, which is worth seeing here.